370 



MILLETS 



ably 90 per cent of the acreage sown (Fig. 164) . The fox-tail millets 

 are all supposed to be derived from the wild, weedy grass known as 

 green fox-tail. However, under cultivation a great many types and 

 varieties have been developed. Practically every gradation is to be 

 found between the different types, but for convenience they are 

 usually classed into four groups, as follows : 



1. Hungarian Grass or 

 Hungarian Millet. This is a 

 rather early form, maturing in 

 sixty to eighty days. The heads 

 are rather small, usually well 

 covered with bristles. The 

 seeds vary from yellow to black, 

 and both colors are found in 

 the same head. The stems are 

 usually fine and the plant 

 comparatively leafy. Hun- 

 garian grass is considered quite 

 drought-resistant, and is prob- 

 ably better adapted to soils of 

 medium or low fertility than 

 the other millets. It averages 

 about twenty-five to thirty 

 inches in height. Hungarian 

 grass also runs wild very easily, 

 and this is sometimes heard as 

 an objection to its culture. 



2. Common millet is a name 

 applied to several varieties of millet somewhat taller than Hungarian 

 grass, maturing at about the same time, and with seeds all of a 

 light yellow color. The head is comparatively slender, and when 

 well developed usually droops. 



3. Siberian millet is quite similar to the foregoing varieties, but 

 the seeds are a bright orange color. 



4. German millet is much taller and coarser growing and two 

 to three weeks later than common millet (Fig. 165) . The heads are 

 large and rather loose. The seeds are yellow, but slightly smaller 



FIG. 163. Millet plants. 



